Despite appearing remorseful during her sentence hearing this week, a Nebraska mother who killed four people—three of whom were her children—while driving under the influence will probably spend the rest of her life in prison.
Judge Molly Keane of the Douglas County District Court sentenced 34-year-old Rachel Bickerstaff to a maximum of 180 years in jail, with the possibility of parole after 70 years.
Keane stated, “The severity of this crash cannot be overestimated,” as Bickerstaff emerged in front of her on Wednesday. According to reports, Bickerstaff entered a plea of “no contest” in March, having a fifth charge of DUI causing serious bodily injury dropped as part of her plea deal. She had been charged with four counts of motor vehicle murder for the horrific collision that happened last autumn.
Records from the Douglas County Department of Corrections show that Bickerstaff had previously been convicted of DUI. In May, she was also charged with assault when it was alleged that she had attacked her jail cellmate.
The fatal collision happened on September 27, 2024, in the centre of Omaha, close to 10th and Douglas streets. Investigators say Bickerstaff struck and murdered 70-year-old Michael Sales on his way home from work at a high speed of 142 mph, more than five times the speed limit, and blew a red light at over 100 mph.
Additionally, Bickerstaff murdered her three children, who were five years old, eighteen months, and eleven days old. The identity of the wounded party mentioned in the DUI allegation resulting in significant bodily injury is unknown.
According to officials, Bickerstaff had a blood alcohol content of.216, which is almost three times the legal limit.
During the hearing on Wednesday, a prosecutor explained how the collision scene had caused “lasting trauma” to the first responders who saw its aftermath.
“It’s a barometer to tell this court just how bad this is when officers and firefighters who have seen so much in the line of duty are affected by the lasting trauma of what they witnessed that night,” according to the prosecutor.
According to Laura Sales, Sales’ daughter, she “dropped to the floor of my living room screaming” when she got the call informing her that her dad had passed away. My soul seemed to have departed from my body. Everything was destroyed in one instant.
She continued, “We never got to say goodbye,” as tears filled the courtroom on Wednesday. “The crash was so violent, we weren’t even given the chance to see his body. Instead, we were given his ashes. How do you make peace with that? How do you live with the images of the burning wreckage and the constant haunting thoughts of what his final moments might have been like?”
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In order to ensure that another family would not have to endure such tragedy, she requested that the court impose a term. “My dad is unable to be here today, so I am. Since his voice was stolen, I’m speaking up, and I want this court to impose a punishment that fairly compensates for what was taken from us.”
According to Bickerstaff, she felt bad about “the pain and hurt I caused.”
“I wish I could take it back. … I would trade my life for all the life lost.”
According to reports, Bickerstaff’s defence lawyer told the judge that she had experienced abuse as a kid and began using meth and alcohol when she was twelve.
The judge said she thought she was truly sorry, but she also thought she had a significant likelihood of doing the same crime again.
“It is difficult to imagine a case with worse facts,” she stated.
